Galveston, TX

Galveston, Texas, where salt clings to the breeze and history refuses to stay buried. With a past marked by deadly storms, grand hotels, and deep Southern scars, it’s no wonder this Gulf Coast city is one of the most haunted in the country.

We start at one of the most unexpected paranormal hotspots: Walmart on Seawall Blvd. Built near the site of the St. Mary’s Orphan Asylum, destroyed by the Great Hurricane of 1900, this store is said to be haunted by the spirits of the 90 children and 10 nuns who perished. Toys fall from shelves, giggles echo down empty aisles, and some children report seeing other children... who aren’t really there.

Over at UTMB, a mysterious stain known as The Face has appeared, and reappeared, on the wall of Ewing Hall since the 1980s. Scrub it, paint it, sandblast it… it always returns. Some say it’s a ghostly protest from a former landowner, others say it’s a cursed mark from Texas Ranger Bigfoot Wallace. Either way, it won’t be leaving anytime soon.

Then there’s the iconic Grand Galvez Hotel, where luxury meets lingering sorrow. Room 501 is home to Audra, a bride who took her own life after falsely believing her fiancé had died at sea. He returned days later…too late. Her spirit is said to wander the halls, and guests report flickering lights, ghostly scents, and phantom bellhops. Some believe spirits from the orphanage also haunt the Galvez grounds.

Ashton Villa offers a different kind of haunting. Home to Bettie Brown, a bold, independent woman and world traveler, her spirit is often seen on the stairs or felt near her portrait. Lights flicker, the piano plays itself, and a chill hangs in the air, but her presence feels more watchful than wicked.

Finally, at the Moody Mansion, echoes of Victorian wealth still whisper through the halls. Visitors hear footsteps on empty staircases and catch glimpses of women in period dress slipping through locked doors. Even the grand piano chimes in with a few lonely notes now and then.

Galveston’s spirits aren’t just relics of the past. They’re part of the present. Whether you’re touring a mansion, checking into a hotel, or grabbing snacks at Walmart, don’t be surprised if you’re not alone.

A photo of the Hotel Galvez shortly after it opened in 1911. Courtesy Rosenberg Library, Galveston; Special/Rosenberg Library, Galveston, Tx; Special/Rosenberg Library, Galveston, Tx; Texas State Historical Association/Public Domain; Photo: Facebook/GalvestonGhost.com; By Jim Evans - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19883099; By Jim Evans - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20241373